We'll have 12 nights on the ground in late FEBRUARY. Set me straight with your expert advice! Husband is quite interested in Córdoba and doesn't want it just as a day trip. Using award miles, and have to fly into and out of Madrid.

Ideas:

Option 1:
• Arrive Madrid.
. Train or car service to Toledo - 2 nights
• Train to Córdoba: 1 night
• Train to Seville - 4 nights
• Train to Granada - 2 nights
• Flight to Madrid - 3 nights (possible day trip to Segovia)
• Depart Madrid

Option 2:
• Arrive Madrid.
• Train to Córdoba - 2 nights
• Train or Alsa bus to Granada - 3 nights
. Train to Seville - 4 nights
• Train to Madrid - 3 nights (possible day trip to Toledo)
• Depart Madrid

Well both seem great - option 2 seems perhaps better a bit because of better weather in Andalusia in February and more time in Cordoba. Anyway book trains as early as possible - do it yourselves online at Renfe - Spanish Railways site - www.seat61.com has great advice on doing that yourselves online - general info trains and what to expect - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Many folks like staying in Toledo because day tripping mobs are gone in evening but in February that won't be a problem - I'd do day trip at that time of year.

Two is better IMO...
Mad temps can be cool

Option 2 looks better to me. Two nights in Cordoba is great, as is three nights Granada

Either should be fine, although each has pros and cons. Be sure you are prepared for winter weather.

I like that option 1 gives you 2 nights in Toledo (no need to use a car service unless that’s your preference). I like that option 2 gives you 2 nights in Cordoba and 3 in Granada. If it helps, Toledo is, IMO, awesome; Segovia is interesting.

You might check what you want to do against opening hours -- many things in Spain are closed on Monday, and often for all or part of Sundays, too.

Your 2 options really are a matter of personal preference. But I realize it's hard to know sometimes what is best since you haven't been there. Based on my experience from our trip last September, I would choose option 2 because it gives you 2 nights in Cordoba. We loved Cordoba! We really enjoyed Toledo, too, but I would prefer to spend 2 nights in Cordoba. We had 2 nights in Granada, but I would have enjoyed a 3rd night there, so option 2 gives you that 3rd night. If you choose Option 1, could you spend 1 night in Toledo (instead of 2) and add that night to Cordoba? But then you wouldn't have the 3rd night in Granada. BTW, we took the ALSA bus from Cordoba to Granada, and it was very comfortable, air conditioned, and modern. A very pleasant trip.

Thanks for input. How do you like NEW Option 3, 13 days now.

Option 1:
• Arrive Madrid.
. Train to Toledo - 2 nights
• Train to Córdoba: 2 nights
• ALSA bus to Granada - 3 nights
• Bus/Train to Seville - 3 nights
• Train to Madrid - 3 nights
• Depart Madrid

I like it!

Count me as another fan of Cordoba (yes, even above Sevilla). The only issue with 1 and 3 is that you have to backtrack. Correct me if I am mistaken, fellow Fodorites, but don't you have to return to Madrid from Toledo to get a different train line to Cordoba?

Yes, the OP will need to return to Madrid to catch the train to Córdoba. But, a very small price to pay for a couple of nights in wonderful Toledo!

I would rather spend night time in othe places than in Toledo...especially in winter time when
it is dark early and could be cool and rainy.
I know many posters love Toledo at night, I am not one of them.

Yes, one has to return to Madrid to go to Córdoba.


i

Option 3 is sweet.

I was in Spain last summer and really liked the friendliness of the people and the vibrant cities. We only take public transportation and your route is entirely do-able by busses - which are very popular and heavily used in Spain - and trains. It's less than 2 hours from Madrid to Cordoba by train. We did not stay overnight in Cordoba as we were able to see everything there for the day. I am sure it will be nice to spend a couple days there, the old part of the city by 'La Mezquita' is charming, there are some indoor/outdoor cafes along the streets adjacent to the Mezquita, Catedrale and Alcazar areas that are nice for meals. We LOVED Sevilla and found it very charming and easy to navigate. IMO, I would have stayed more nights in Sevilla over, say, Cordoba. In fact, Sevilla was one of our most favorite cities in Spain. We didn't make it to Granada to see the Alhambra - glad you are able to go there, I am sure that will be great!

Check out my trip report for detailed information: Spain, Morocco, Italy trip report w/ teenager

I'd move one night from Granada to Seville - nice enough but large that IMO was not nearly as overall neat as Seville or Cordoba - from Seville do day trips like to Jerez-de-la-Frontera a short train ride away to see the famous Sherry Houses and behemoth Andalusian Horse shows or about daily practice sessions in local arena and or Cadiz, lovely seaside city. Ronda would also make a neat one night stop Granada-Cordoba. Not much there but a gorgeous city physically as it has a deep gorge running thru it.

I think you have a really nice itinerary!

And BTW, I think I understand what danon meant about Toledo -- and actually, part of what I loved about Toledo was the brooding quality it has at night. JMO.

"brooding quality" - ??? what do you mean by that?

Thanks all for your input! I'm finding this trip harder to plan than most, "where to sleep" wise.

Our trans Atlantic plane doesn't get in to Madrid till 3 pm. Not sure I'll be up for a long train ride all the way to Andalusia after being awake for so many hours. So that's a question mark. Hence the original idea of Toledo as a "pillow" stop. If not Toledo, I think I'd be inclined to just stay in Madrid near Atocha, and see a couple of museums and refuel, and be ready to train off to Cordoba on day 3. That would split my Madrid days in half, not ideal, but having to backtrack to fly home is a "for sure" on this trip, as I can't get open-jaw to work.

Love, love, love Seville. Will be heading back this winter for a week; have already had four trips to that city of a about a week each time..can you not take a connecting flight to or from MAD? why can't you get the open jaw ticket? Did you check Vueling and Iberia?

I meant I don’t think I can tag it on to my British airways award flight. It would have to be another ticket, and if the transatlantic flight is delayed, we might miss it. I’ll look into it further. It’s already a long day of flying from the middle of the U S of A.

We could take the trip at a slower pace if we left Granada to a future trip. Any takers on this idea? It does take a half day to get there and away, for only a couple night stop. I know, I know, the Alhambra... Nobody has said that they love love love Granada.

It's hard to pare it down and still see what you want to see. We have 15 nights for our October trip, and had to eliminate Barcelona from our original plans to make it work. Interesting that your husband is set on overnight in Cordoba--based on what other folks have said on this form, I was content to slot it for a daytrip (we'll have 7 hours there between trains on our way from Madrid to Seville). The consensus seems to be that, as between Granada and Cordoba, Granada usually wins, but it is a fact that Granada is harder to get to. I'm certainly going to post my experiences when I get back, but I suspect you'll have it worked out by then. Good luck.